HISTORY PART 3

NATIONALISM UNDER GANDHI

•Gandhi’s political activity in South Africa
•Local movements of Gandhi
•Rowlatt Sathyagraha
•Khilafat issue
•Non-Cooperation Movement
•Simon Commission
•Lahore Session
•Civil Disobedience Movement
•Quit India Movement
Gandhi in South Africa
Gandhi’s Political Activity in South Africa( 1893-1914):
•Compulsory certificate of Registration for Indians with their fingerprints
•Indians must produce the certificates whenever asked
•Against immigration law excluding new immigrants from India
•Struggle against Poll tax in which ex-indentured Indians must pay 3 pounds
•Supreme court judgement on invalidation of Marriages not conducted according
to Christian rites and not registered by the Registrar of Marriages
Gandhi In India and early movements
Local Movement of Gandhi:
Champaran Sathyagraha (1917):
•In North Bihar against Tinkathiya system
•Raj Kumar Shukla, a Peasant of the region persuaded Gandhi to come to
•His colleagues include Brij Kishore, Rajendra Prasad, Mahadev Desai, Narhari
Parikh and J.B.Kripalani
•Government appointed a Champaran Agrarian Committee and nominated Gandhi
as one of its members
•As compromise with planters refund of 25 percent of the money taken illegally
was given to peasants
Kheda Sathyagraha( 1918):
•Golden age in Kheda was succeeded by repeated famine and plague after 1899
•In 1917, excessive rain damaged Kharif crop in Kheda with increase in price of
essential goods
•Government refused to remit the land revenue and officials over valued the crops
•Revenue code provided for total remission if crops were less than 25 percent of
normal production
•The revealing of secret instruction showed signs of weakness
•Kheda became a solid Gandhian base
Ahmedabad Mill Strike( 1918) :
•Dispute lay with mill owner’s attempt to end Plague bonusonce the epidemic had
passed
•The bonus hardly compensated for the rise of living during 1stworld war
•Gandhi persuaded workers and mill owners agree to arbitration by tribunal but
owners offered 20 percent bonus and threatened to dismiss those who didn't’t
accept
•Anasuya behn sister of the owner Ambalal Sarabhai supported Gandhi
•Once the workers show weariness Gandhi went on to Fast to rally for workers
•Finally the mill gave 35% wage increase
Significance of Local Movements:
•Served as a demonstration of Gandhian Style and method of politics
•Helped Gandhi find feet among Indians
•Understanding the strength and weakness of masses
•Understanding viability of methods on larger scale
•Gandhi earned respect and commitment of an entire generation of workers
•Success of movements gave Gandhi the confidence to launch an All-India Struggle
Gandhian Mass Movements
Rowlatt Sathyagraha( 1919) :
•On February 1919, first time Gandhi made a call for an All-India Sathyagraha
Campaign against Rowlatt act
•Rowlatt Committee was appointed to inquire revolutionary crime in India and
proposal for strengthening law
•The Act made an attempt to restrict civil rights, detention without trial and
search a place and arrest a person without trial
•Movement was associated with Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy
•Gandhi started Sathyagraha with Three political networks like Home Rule
League, Pan-Islamist and Sathyagraha Sabha
•The movement was condemned by D.E.Wacha, Surendranath Banerjee,
T.B. Sapru, Srinivas Shasthri
Khilafat Issue:
•Khilafat movement gained strength in 1919-20 with three central demands
•They are Turkish Sultan-Khalifa must retain control over Muslim sacred places,
he must be left with territory sufficient for him to retain Islam and Jazirat-ul-Arab
must remain under Muslim Sovereignty
•Moderate Khilafat leaders focused of Central Khilafat Committee and consisted of
prosperous merchants
•Radical strands consist of lower middle class, journalists and ulamas led by Ali
Brothers
•Gandhi played a Vital link between Moderates and Radical Khilafat wings
Non Cooperation Movement( 1920-22) :
•The Rowlatt Act, The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Martial Law in Punjab and
The Khilafat issue belied all generous war time benefits
•Hunter Committee reports and House of Lords Voting in favour of General Dyer’s
action disillusioned the hope for corrections
•Four stage Non-Cooperation was announced-Boycott of titles, Boycott of
Civil Service, Boycott of Police and Army and Non payment of taxes
•Congress adopted the campaign around Khilafat Wrong, Punjab Wrong and
Swaraj
•Followers of C.R.Das and Tilak bitterly opposed, Motilal Nehru was hesitant
•Most of the provinces accepted the Boycott Resolution but objected
Boycott of Legislative Council
Changes in Congress Organisation
•Four Anna Membership
•Hierarchy of Village-taluk-district or town committees
•Reorganisation of Provincial Congress Committees on linguistic basis
•Fixation of delegates based on population
•15 member Working Committee as real executive head
Programmes of NCM:
•Constructive and Destructive
•Constructive-nationalisation of education, promotion of indigenous goods,
popularisation of Charka and Khadi and enrollment of a Volunteer Corps
•Destructive-boycott of law courts, educational institutions, elections to
legislature, official functions , British Goods and surrender of honours and titles
Popular response and Impact:
•Appeal for Self sacrifice by Upper class and council Boycott was not successful
•Educational Boycott was effective yet considerable in college and
Non-existent at primary level
•The Economic Boycott was successful-picketing remains important
and collective pledges by merchants
•Business support improved the congress funds to a large extent
•Evidence of high labour militancy
•Peasants benefitted by village reconstruction through self-help
•Campaigns for Hindu-Muslim unity, against the evils of liquor and untouchability
•Gurudwara issues in Punjab ,Eka Movement of UP and Moplahs of Malabar
were notable movements at regional level
Suspension and Aftermath of Non-Cooperation Movement:
•Chauri-Chaura incident made Gandhi to call of the movement
•Unilateral and abrupt ending of movement was resented by both Congress men
and the younger people
•Gandhi was arrested on March 10 1922 and sentence to 6 years imprisonment
but no one protested when Gandhi went to Jail
•Revival of revolutionary terrorism
•Bardoli resolution of Congress asked peasants to pay taxes and tenants to pay
rents
•Resolution assured the Zamindars that Congress had no intention of depriving
them of their rights
•Students, Lawyers and Merchants drifted back to their work and saw a receding
of mass movements in 1921 itself
•Sacrifice and capacity of masses are not unlimited and need a breathing space
•Gandhi had protected the people from demoralisation and movement from
repression
•The Khilafat movement introduced religious idiom into politics of Indian Muslims
leading to the subsequent Pakistan movement
•Division in congress among Pro-changers and No-changers
Post Non-Cooperation Movement
Swarajists and No-Changers:
•C.R.Das, Motilal Nehru and Ajmal Khan wanted an end to Boycott of legislative
councils and obstruct the working of the council –Swarajists
•Vallabhai Patel, Rajendra Prasad , C.Rajagopalachari and M.A.Ansari
opposed the council entry and advocated the concentration on
constructive works-No Changers
•The differences over the council entry resulted in the defeat of the Swarajists
proposal of ending or mending the council at Gaya Session in 1922
•C.R.Das and Motilal Nehru resigned and announced formation of
Congress-Khilafat-Swarajya party
•As a compromise the Swarajists were allowed to contest elections as a
group within the congress
•The election manifesto of Swarajists had a strong Anti-imperialist line released in
1923
•Swarajists managed to win some seats and joined hands with the liberals and
the independents like Jinnah and Malaviya
•Gandhiji initially opposed but after his release in 1924 he formed a
reconciliatory approach with Swarajists
•Division among the Swarajists on communal and Responsivist-non-Responsivist
lines and death of C.R.Das in 1925 weakened it further
Achievements:
•Out-voted government policies
•Vithalbhai Patel-first elected speaker of Central legislative council-1925
•Defeat of Public Safety bill in 1928
Simon Commission and its consequences
Simon Commission(1927-28) :
•An answer to Indians clamouring constitutional reform of 1919 as inadequate
•It was appointed to recommend whether India was ready for further
constitutional progress
•The call for boycott was endorsed by Liberal Federation led by Tej Bahadur
Sapru, the Hindu Mahasabha and Jinnah followers of Muslim League
•Simon and his friends landed on Bombay on February 3 1928
•All major cities and towns observed hartals, street rallies and Black Flag
demonstration wherever Simon went
•In Lucknow, Khaliquzzaman executed brilliant idea of floating kites and
balloons imprinted with the popular slogan“Simon Go Back ”
•In Lahore , Lala Lajpat Rai was hit on the Chest by Lathis on October 30
and he Succumbed to the injuries on November 17, 1928
•Nehru Report of 1928 gave the objective of Dominion Status, provided
the British granted it by the end of 1929 , failing which Congress would go for
Civil Disobedience for Purna Swaraj
•Irwin Offer of 1929 declared dominion status to be the natural issue of
India’s Constitutional progress and promised a Round Table Conference
called Delhi Statement
•Gandhi, Motilal and Malaviya joined Liberals in accepting the offer with four
conditions like
•Round Table Conference should discuss the details of Dominion Status
which should be accepted immediately
•Congress must have majority representation in the conference
•There should be an amnesty
•Policy of general conciliation
•Subhas Bose refused to sign this Delhi Statement but Nehru signed and
later developed doubts
•Viceroy flatly rejected the Congress condition
•Lahore session 1929 Jawaharlal Nehru sketched out radical perspective for
freedom movement calling for Purna Swaraj resolution
•World Economic Depression 1929-33
Civil Disobedience Movement( 1930-34):
•It includes non-payment of taxes authorised at Lahore session in 1929
•With 78 members of Sabarmati ashram Gandhi was to march from Ahmedabad
through villages of Gujarat for 240 miles reaching Dandi Coast
•Sathyagrahis held salt marches in Assam, Bengal, Madras, Sindh, Orissa etc.
•Many policemen and Lower level officials resigned
•American Journalist Webb Millerobserved the whole event
•Chittagong armoury was captured by the Bengal revolutionaries in April 1930
•Arrest of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan gave rise to massive upsurge in April 1930
•Other forms of mass struggle includes non-payment of land revenue,
refusal to pay choukidari taxand Sathyagraha in forest areas
•Darshana salt Sathyagraha after the arrest of Gandhi led by SarojiniNaidu
•Muslim participation was low and were communal discontent
•Congress did not include industrial or communication strikes
•Participation of Women were maximum and mostly courted arrest and
faced lathi charges
•Rural movements tended to be much more uninhibited
•First round table conference was held without the presence of Congress in 1930
•Later talk with Irwin and Gandhi resulted in Delhi Pact and Withdrawl of
Civil disobedience
•Second Round Table Conference ended with no results, Gandhi squabbling
endlessly with Muslim leaders and Ambedkar asking for separate electorate
•Gandhi was arrested again once he landed in India
•Based on the Simon Commission recommendation Communal award was
granted by Ramsay McDonald giving separate electorate to depressed classes
•Gandhi started fast unto death in Yervada jail which culminated in Poona pact
signed with Ambedkar giving more representation to depressed class
Significance:
•Gandhi talked to Irwin as equal
•Congressmen released from jail were given heroic welcome
•The general mood of people was upbeat
•All congress meetings were banned
•Second Civil Disobedience saw upsurges in the princely states of Kashmir and
Alwar
•Helped congress win in 1934 elections
•Development of Rural Capitalism
•Peasant radicalism sought expression through left leaning Kisan Sabhas and
communal organisations
•Gandhi devoted himself to Harijan work
•Congress swept the poles in 1937 elections in provinces
Government of India Act 1935
•Longest act
•4 key sources like Report of Simon Commission , 3rdRTC, White Paper of 1933
and Joint select committees
Provisions:
•Abolition of dyarchy in province and introduction in centre
•Abolition of Indian Council and introduction of advisory body
•All India federation but did not come into effect
•Increase in size of legislatures, extension of franchise, division of subjects,
communal electorate
•Separation of Burma from India
•Provincial Autonomy
•Establishment of Federal Court, federal Railway Authority and Federal Bank
1937 Elections to Provinces:
•Congress ministries were formed in Bombay, Madras, Central Provinces, Orissa,
United Provinces, Bihar and later in NWFP and Assam
•28 months of Congress rule in the provinces
•Congress Ministry resigned on 1939 due to outbreak of Second World War and
Muslim league celebrated Day of Deliverance.
Second World War and its Aftermath
Individual Sathyagraha:
Reason:
•Second World War broke out in September 3, 1939
•Wardha working Committee accepted full cooperation in the war in turn
establish some sort of responsible government in center immediately
and demanded a constituent assembly
•Government’s reaction was negative and Viceroy Linlithgow used
Muslim league and Princes against Congress
Course of action:
•Gandhi decided to start individual Sathyagraha for himself and other selected
individuals
•The Sathyagrahis would demand a freedom of speech to preach against the
participation in the war
•Vinobha bhave was the first and Jawaharlal Nehru the second
•Every Sathyagrahi move into villages and start a trek towards Delhi called
Delhi Chalo Movement
August offer
Linlithgow proposed:
•expansion of the Governor general’s Executive council
•Established War Advisory Council
•Making of Constitutional body
•Congress rejected the offer
TheQuitIndia Movement (1942): •Called as August Revolution
Causes:
•Britain was unwilling to offer a honourable settlement and a real constitutional
advance
Cripps's mission proposal:
•for dominion status
•constituent making body
•rights of Indian states to remain outside Indian Union
•Control of defence and Military operation would be retained by the British
Government
•All parties rejected the declaration
•Victory of Japan revealed British racism and shattered White prestige
•Bengal Famine of 1943
Course of Action:
•On May 1942, Gandhi at Gowalia tank in Bombaygave congressmen about
Quit India movement
•Jawaharlal Nehru proposed Draft resolution and seconded by
Sardar Vallabhai Patel
•On August 1942, AICC passed the Quit India Resolution
•Gandhi gave a popular Slogan of Do or Die on the same day
•On August 9 all the prominent Congress leaders were arrested under
Operation Thunderbolt
The movement followed three phases:
•First with massive and violent but was quickly suppressed and was mainly from
Urban areas
•Second phases shifted to Country side with Militant students fanning out and
destroyed communications and led peasant rebellion
•Third phase saw brutal repression and entered the longest but least formidable
stage
•It is characterised by terrorist activity by educated youths, guerilla wars,
part time peasant squads and secret parallel governments
Significance:
•It was made impossible for British to hold India after Second World War
•Attempt of negotiations made release of prisoners and unrest due to mobilisation
and unemployment
•New prestige to Congress Right and weakening of left
•Element of spontaneity
•Initiative of grassroot level political activists and masses
•Demand for independence made as immediate agenda
•Muslim participation was minimal and upper class and bureaucracy
remained loyal to British
•Erosion of loyalty by British Officers
•Though communist opposed the movement, local leaders participated
•Common masses showed unparalleled heroism and Militancy
 Years Before Independence
C.Rajagopalachari Formula (March 1944):
•Muslim League observed Pakistan Day on March 23 1943
•League should immediately support independence for India and co operate in
interim government
•After War, Muslim majority areas to exercise right to self-determination
•In case of partition, common Centre for defence, commerce, communication etc.
•Jinnah rejected the offer as he wanted Congress to accept the two-nation theory
Desai-Liaqat Pact:
•Congress and League nominees to have equal representation in Central Executive
•20% of seats reserved for minorities
Wavell Plan (Shimla Conference-June 1945):
•An All-Indian executive council except the Governor General and Commander-in-
Chief
•Equal representation for Caste Hindus and Muslims
•Muslim League wanted all Muslims to be its nominees and claimed a communal
veto in the executive council
•Congress objected to it being painted purely as a caste Hindu party
Last two years of British rule
Basic strands:
•Tortuous negotiations resulting in freedom and partition accompanied by
communal violence
•Sporadic and localised mass action
•July 1945, Labour Government came to power in Britain
•August 1945, Elections to Central and Provincial assemblies announced
•September 1945, Announcement of a Constituent assembly after war
Change in government attitude:
•Change in global power equations-UK no longer a power
•Labour Government sympathetic to India
•Tired British soldiers and shattered British economy
•Anti-imperialist wave throughout Asia
•Officials feared another congress revolt
Two main election planks of Congress:
•Repression of 1942
•Mass pressure against trial of INA prisoners of War

INA Agitation
Main Features:
•Had unprecedented high pitch and intensity
•Had wide geographical and social spread
•Penetrated traditional Bulwark of Raj-Government employees and loyalists
•With each day , became purely Indian Vs. British
•Three soldiers put to trial was GuruBaksh Singh Dhillon, Prem Kumar Shegal
and Shah Nawaz
•Defence of INA prisoners in the court was organised by Bhulabhai Desai,
Tej Bahadur Sapru, Kailash Nath Katju, Nehru and Asaf Ali
•INA Relief and Enquiry Committee distributed money, food and employment for
affected
Three upsurges:
•November 21, 1945 in Calcutta over INA Trials
•February 11,1946 in Calcutta over seven-year sentence to an INA officer
•February 18, 1946 in Bombay, strike by Royal Indian Navy Ratings
•Congress did not support these upsurges because of their timing and tactics
Royal Indian Navy Mutiny
RIN Mutiny:
1100 Naval Ratings of HMIS Talwar went on a strike to protest against :
•Racial discrimination
•Unpalatable food
•Abuse by officers
•Arrest of a Rating for scrawling “Quit India” on HMIS Talwar
•INA Trials
•Use of Indian troops in Indonesia, demanding their withdrawl
•Ratings hoisted congress, league and communist flags on the mast of the fleet
•Other ratings also joined in Bombay
•Crowds brought food to ratings and shop keepers invited them to take whatever
they want
Withdrawl of British from India
Election results:
•Congress won 57 out of 102 seats in Central Assembly and got majority in
Madras, Bombay, UP, Bihar, Orissa and Central Provinces and coalition in Punjab
•League won 30 reserved seats in Central Assembly and got majority in Bengal and
Sindh
Why British withdrawl seemed imminent by 1946:
•Success of nationalist forces in struggle for hegemony
•Demoralisation among bureaucracy and the loyalist sections
•Limitations of British strategy of conciliation and repression
•Demands of leniency for INA by army men and RIN ratings revolt
•An entirely official rule was impossible
Main aim of Government policy :
•Graceful withdrawl
•Settlement on modalities of transfer of power
•Post-imperial Indo-British relations
Cabinet Mission:
•The mission reached Delhi on March 24 1946 consist of Pethick Lawrence,
Stafford Cripps and A.V.Alexander
Proposals:
•Rejection of Pakistan
•Grouping of existing assemblies into three sections A,B,C
•Three tier executive and legislature at province, princely states and union level
•Provincial assemblies to elect a Constituent assembly
•Common center for defence, communications and external affairs
•Province to have autonomy and residual powers
•Princely states free to have an arrangement with the successor government or
the British government
•In future, a province is free to come out of the section or the union
•Meanwhile, an interim government to be formed from constituent assembly
Further developments:
•Congress claimed that the grouping was optional while the League thought that
the grouping was compulsory
•Mission decided the matter in the league’s favour
•League followed by Congress accepted Cabinet mission proposals in June 1946
•On July 1946, League withdrew from the plan after Nehru’s press statement and
gave a call for “Direct Action” from August 16, 1946
•September 1946, An interim government headed by Nehru sworn in
•October 1946, League joins Interim government and follows an obstructionist
approach
•February 1947, Congress members demand removal of League members,
League demands dissolution of Constituent Assembly
Atlee’s Statement:
•Prime minister Atlee made an announcement on February 20 1947
•Deadline for transfer of power was fixed at June 30 1948
•Power may be transferred to one centre or in some areas to existing provincial
governments
Mountbatten plan (June 3 1947):
•Punjab and Bengal assemblies to take decision on partition
•Sindh to take its own decision
•Referendum to be held in NWFP and Sylhet district
•Two dominions to be created if partition is to take place with two constituent
assemblies
•Freedom to be granted on August 15 1947
Conclusion:
•Mountbatten plan provided for partition and divested all its powers and control
over Dominions from August 15 1947
•Partition was inevitable because of policies and actions of Muslim league
resulting in political crisis
•British policy of divide and rule
•Official failure in checking the deteriorating communal situation
•Failure of congress in drawing the Muslim masses into the Freedom struggle
•Failure to evolve a suitable strategy to successfully contain communalism
Indian Independence Act 1947
•Based on Mountbatten plan of June 3 1947
Provisions:
•Two dominion states –India and Pakistan
•Separate Boundary commission for Bengal and Punjab by Sir Cyril Radcliffe
•Authority of Crown over Princely states were ceased
•Governor General for Pakistan and India is appointed by the king
•Constituent Assembly is free to make constitution and change any act even the
Independence Act till then ruled under 1935 Act
•Governor General will have adequate power till March 1948
•Civil servants will continue in service
Socio-Religious Reform Movements
Bengal:
Raja Raj Mohan Roy and Brahmo Samaj:
•Called as Father of Indian Renaissance
•In 1814, set up Atmiya Sabha in Calcutta to campaign against idolatry, caste
rigidity, meaningless rituals and social evils like Sati
•He put his faith on Monotheism and Vedanta which is rational
•He incorporated message of Christ in Hinduism
•He supported David Hare’s effort to establish the Hindu College in 1817
•Roy’s English School taught Mechanics and Voltaire Philosophy
•1825, he established Vedanta College teaching Indian and Western Social and
Physical Science
•In 1828, he found Brahmo Sabha, later renamed as Brahmo Samaj
•Agenda of Samaj-to purify Hinduism and to Preach Monotheism
•Agenda was based on twin pillars of reason and Vedas and Upanishads
•He even condemned oppressive practices of Bengal Zamindars
•He did not want to establish a new religion
•His works include the gift to monotheist in 1809 . The percepts of Jesus in 1820
and also translated Vedas and Upanishads into Bengali
•It was later undertaken by Debendranath Tagore and Keshub Chandra Sen
Significance of Samaj:
•It denounced Polytheism and idol worship
•Discarded faith in divine avatars
•Denied the idea that scripture could enjoy the status of ultimate authority
transcending human reason and Conscience
•It has no definite stand on the doctrine of Karma and transmigration of soul
•It criticised Caste system
•It condemned social evils like Sati, Purdah system, child marriage, untouchability
and encouraged Widow remarriage and educational facilities
Prarthana Samaj:
•It was founded in 1863 by Atmaram Pandurang with the help of Keshub
Chandra Sen in Maharashtra
•It emphasised on Monotheism, work rather than faith and on education
and persuasion
•It did not confront with Hindu Orthodoxy
•Four agendas include: disapproval of Caste system
•Women’s education
•Widow remarriage
•Raising the age of marriage for both males and females
•Prominent leaders include M.G.Ranade, R.G.Bandarkar and N.G.Chandravarkar
YoungBengal Movement:
•Henry Vivian Derozio who taught at the Hindu College was the leader and
inspired intellectual trend in Bengal
•The drew inspiration from French Revolution
•Derozio was called first nationalist poet of modern India
•Their ideals include to think freely and rationally, question all authority, love
liberty, equality and freedom, oppose decadent customs and
support women’s rights
•They had limited success due to lack of practicality
Bal shastry Jambekar :
•He attacked brahmanical orthodoxy and tried to reform popular Hinduism
•He started a weekly Darpan in 1832
IshwarChandra Vidhyasagar:
•His ideas were blend of Indian and Western thought
•He believed in high moral values and humanistic principles
•He opened Sanskrit College to Non-Brahmins & imposed Western thought into it
•He helped in legalising Widow Remarriage
•Organised 35 girl’s school in his own expense
•As a Secretary of Bethune School, he was one of the pioneers in
Higher Education for Women in 1849
Student’s Literary and Scientific Societies:
•Also called as Gyan Prasarak Mandalis in Marathi and Gujarati
•Educated Young men organised lectures on popular science and Social questions
Paramahansa Mandali:
•Founded in 1849 in Maharashtra by Dadoba Pandurang
•They believed in one God and breaking Caste rules
•Advocated Widow Remarriage and Women’s Education
Sathyasodhak Samaj and Jyothiba Phule:
•Founded in 1873 , with leadership coming from backward classes
•Aims include-social service, spread of education among women and
lower caste people
•It rejects caste system, socio-economic inequalities and Sanskritic Hinduism
•Phule is the pioneer of Widow Remarriage in Maharashtra
•His works include Sarvajanik Sathyadharma and Gulamgin
Gopalhari Deshmukh:
•Also called as Lokahitawadi advocated Reorganisation of Indian Society on
rational and modern values
•He quoted “if religion does not sanction social reform, then change religion”
The Servants of India Society:
•Founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1905
•Aim-train national missionaries for service of India and to promote the interests
of Indian people and prepare a Cadre of selfless workers
Social Service League:
•Founded by Narayan Malhar Joshi in Bombay
•Aim-secure better and reasonable conditions of life and work
•He also found All India Trade Union Congress in 1920
The Ramakrishna Movement:
•Teachings of Ramakrishna Paramahansa formed basis of the movement
•Aim-bring into existence a band of monk dedicated to a life of renunciation and
practical spirituality
•Conjunctions with lay disciples to carry on preaching, philanthropic and charitable
works
•Ramakrishna math was founded by himself and completed his first objective
•Second objective was carried out by Swami Vivekananda
•He used to say “service of man is the Service of God”
•His mission was to bridge gulf between paramartha (service) and
vyavahara ( behaviour)
•He declared knowledge without action is useless
•It is a deeply religious body but not a proselytising body
•In 1893 at the Parliament of Religions held at Chicago he stressed for a balance
between spiritualism and materialism
•He never gave a political message
•He is regarded as Spiritual Father of the Modern Nationalist Movement
Dayanand Saraswati and Arya Samaj:
•Formally set up in 1875 at Bombay and later a Lahore against Western influences
•He considered Vedas as India’s Rock of Ages, true and infallible
•He gave the slogan of Go Back to Vedas
•His famous work include Sathyartha Prakash
Seva Sadan:
•By a Parsi reformer Behramji Malabari in 1885
•It took care of women who were exploited and discarded by society
Deva Samaj:
•Founded in 1887 by Shiv Narayan Agnihotri at Lahore
•Emphasised on eternity of Soul, Supremacy of Guru and need for good action
•His teachings were compiled in Deva Shastra
Dharma Sabha:
•Founded by Radhakant Deb in 1830
•It stood for status quo in socio religious matters and opposed abolition of sati
•Though it favoured promotion of western education even for girls
Radhaswami Movement:
•Founded by Shiv Dayal Saheb in 1861
•Believed in supremacy of Guru and company of pious people
•The considered all religions to be true and had no belief in temples
Bharat Dharma Mahamandala:
•All India Organisation of the Orthodox educated Hindus at Varanasi
•Stood for defence of Orthodox Hinduism against the Arya Samajists, Theosophists
and Ramakrishna Mission
•Madan Mohan Malaviya is one of the prominent figure
Vokkaliga Sangha:
•Launched in Mysore in 1905 as Anti-Brahmin movement
Sri Narayana Guru Dharma Paripalana Movement:
•Started by NarayanaGuru Swamy among Ezhavas of Kerala
•They took up issues like:
•Right of admission to public schools
•Recruitment to government services
•Access to roads and entry to temples
•Political representation
Justice movement:
•Started in Madras presidency by C.N.Mudaliar, T.M.Nair and P.Tyagaraja in 1916
•In 1917 it demanded for separate representation for lower castes in the
legislature
Self-Respect Movement:
•Started by E.V.Ramaswamy Naicker
•Aimed at rejection of the brahmanical religion and formalising weddings without
priests
Temple entry movement:
•In 1924, Vaikom Sathyagraha led by K.P.Menon in Kerala demanding throwing
open of Hindu temples and roads to the untouchables
Indian Social Conference:
•Founded by M.G.Ranade and Ragunath Rao
•The conference to be met annually and first session held at Madras in1887
•Venue was same as INC focusing on Social issues
Parsi Reform Movements:
•The Rahnumai Mazdayasan Sabha founded in 1851 for restoration of Zoroastrian
religion to its pristine purity
•Leaders include Dadabhai Naoroji, K.R.Cama and S.S.Bengalee
•Their newspaper used to spread reforms is Rast Goftar( truth teller)
Sikh Reform Movements:
•The Singh Sabha found at Amritsar in 1873
•Two objectives include Western education to Sikhs and countering proselytising
activities of Christian missionaries as well as Hindu revivalists
The Theosophical Movement
•Founded in 1875 by Madame H.P.Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott in United States
•They believed in reincarnation and karma
•Aimed at work for universal brotherhood and to investigate the unexplained laws
of nature
•Annie Besant became president in 1893 in India and laid foundation of the
Central Hindu College in Benaras in 1898
Positive aspects:
•Liberation of individual from fear
•Worship was made a more personal affair
•Cultural roots to the middle classes thus mitigating sense of humiliation and
earned self-respect
•Fostered secular outlook
•Encouraged social climate for modernisation
•Ended India’s cultural, intellectual isolation from rest of the world
•Evolution of national consciousness
Negative aspects:
•Narrow social base and indirectly encouraged mysticism
•Overemphasis of religious, philosophical aspects of culture
•Underemphasis on secular and moral aspects
•Hindus confined to ancient history and Muslims to medieval history increasing
communal consciousness
•Historical process of evolution of composite culture arrested to some extent

Governor Generals and Viceroys of India

Governors-General
1)Warren Hastings( 1773-85) :
•Regulating Act of 1773
•First Maratha War in 1775-82 and treaty of Salbai in 1782
•Second Mysore War in 1780-84
•Pitts India Act -1784
•Foundation of Asiatic society of Bengal-1784
2) Lord Cornwallis( 1786-93) :
•Third Mysore war (1790-92) and treaty of Seringapatnam
•Cornwallis Code (1793) on judicial reforms, separation of revenue administration
and civil Jurisdiction
•Permanent settlement of Bengal 1793
•Europeanisation of Administrative Machinery and introduction of Civil Service
3) Sir John Shore ( 1793-98): •Charter Act of 1793
4) Lord Wellesley ( 1798-1805) :
•Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance system in 1798 , first alliance with Nizam of
Hyderabad
•Fourth Mysore War -1799
•Treaty of Bassein-1802
•Second Maratha War-1803-05
5) Sir George Barlow (1805-07) :
•Vellore Mutiny-1806
6) Lord Minto I (1807-13) :
Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh-1809
7) Lord Hastings( 1813-23) :
•Anglo-Nepal War -1814-16 and treaty of Sagauli-1816
•Third Maratha War -1817-19 and dissolution of Maratha Confederacy and
creation of Bombay Presidency
•Establishment of Ryotwari System by Thomas Munro, Governor of Madras-1820
8) Lord Amherst ( 1823-28) :
•First Burmese War -1824-26
9) Lord William Bentinck( 1828-35) :
•Abolition of Sati and other cruel practices -1829
•Suppression of thugs-1830
•Resolution 0f 1835-introduction of English as official language
•Treaty of perpetual friendship with Ranjit Singh
•Annexation of Mysore, Coorg and Central Cachar
•Abolition of provincial courts of appeal introduced by Cornwallis
10) Lord Metcalfe (1835-36):
•New press law removing restrictions on the press in India
11) Lord Auckland (1836-42) :
•First Afghan War-1838-42
•Death of Ranjit Singh-1839
12) Lord Ellen borough ( 1842-44): •Annexation of Sindh-1843
13) Lord HardingeI (1844-48) :
•First Anglo-Sikh War-1845-46 and the Treaty of Lahore-1846
•Abolition of Female infanticide and Human Sacrifices
14) Lord Dalhousie (1848-56) :
•Second Anglo-Sikh War(1848-49) and annexation of Punjab-1849
•Annexation of lower Burma or Pegu-1852
•Doctrine of lapse-1848
•Wood’s despatch of 1854 and introduction of vernacular education
•Railway minute of 1853 and first line from Bombay to Thane in 1854
•Telegraph and postal reforms of 1854
•Separate provincial public works departments-1854
•Widow Remarriage act-1856
15) Lord Canning( 1856-57) :
•Three universities at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1857
•Revolt of 1857
Viceroys
1)Lord Canning(1858-62) :
•Transfer of control from Company to the crown
•Government of India Act 1858
•White Mutiny by European troops in 1859
•Indian Council Act 1861
2) Lord Elgin I (1862-63):
•Wahabi movement
3) Lord John Lawrence (1864-69) :
•Bhutan War-1865
•Setting up of High Courts at Bombay, calcuttaand Madras in 1865
4) Lord mayo (1869-72) :
•Establishment of Statistical survey of India, state Railways and Department of
Agriculture and Commerce
5) Lord Northbrook (1872-76) :
•Visit of Prince of Wales in 18 75
•Trial of Gaekwad of Baroda
•Kuka Movement in Punjab
6) Lord Lytton (1876-80) :
•Famine of 1876-78 and famine commission under Richard Strachey
•Royal titles act-1876 queen Victoria assuming the title of Kaiser-i-Hind
•Vernacular press act, Arms act-1878
•Second Afghan War-1878-80
7) Lord Ripon( 1880-84) :
•Repeal of vernacular press act-1882
•First Factory act to improve labour conditions in 1881
•Continuation of Financial decentralisation
•Local self-government resolution-1882
•Education commission under Sir William Hunter-1882
•The Ilbert Bill Controversy-1883-84
8) Lord Dufferin (1884-88) : •Third Burmese War(1885-86)
•Establishment of Indian National Congress
9) Lord Lansdowne(1888-94):
•Factory Act-1891
•Indian Council Act-1892
•Categorisation of Civil Service into imperial, provincial and Subordinate
•Setting up of Durand Commission in 1893
10) Lord Elgin II (1894-99) :
•The British officials assassinated by Chapekar brothers in 1897
11) Lord Curzon(1899-1905) :
•Appointment of Police Commission under Sir Andrew Frazer-1902
•Universities Commission in 1902 and Universities act in 1904
•Establishment of Department of Commerce and Industry
•Ancient monuments preservation act-1904
•Partition of Bengal-1905
12) Lord Minto II (1905-10) :
•Popularisation of Anti-Partition and Swadeshi Movement
•Establishment of Muslim league-1906
•Surat split-1907
13) Lord Hardinge II( 1910-1916) :
•Creation of Bengal Presidency in 1911
•Transfer of Capital from Calcutta to Delhi -1911
•Establishment of Hindu MahaSabhaby Madan Mohan Malaviya
•Coronation durbar of king George V held in Delhi-1911
14) Lord Chelmsford (1916-21):
•Formation of Home rule leagues by Annie Besant and Tilak-1916
•Lucknow session of Congress and Lucknow Pact-1916
•Formation of Sabarmati Ashram-1916, Champaran Sathyagraha-1917,
kheda-1918, ahmedabad-1918
•Montague August Declaration-1917
•Government of India Act-1919
•The Rowlatt Act-1919
•Jallianwala Bagh Massacre-1919
•Death of Tilak-1920
•Launch of Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Movements
15) Lord Reading (1921-26) :
•Chauri-Chaura incident-1922
•Moplah Rebellion in Kerala-1921
•Repeal of Press Act of 1910 and Rowlatt act-1919
•Establishment of Swaraj Party-1922
16) Lord Irwin (1926-31) :
•Visit of Simon Commission to India-1927
•All party conference at Lucknow for suggesting constitution of India called as
Nehru report
•Butler commission on Indian States-1927
•Murder of Saunders
•Lahore session and resolution of Purna Swaraj-1929
•Dandi March-by Gandhi-1930 to launch Civil Disobedience Movement
•Deepavali declaration by Lord Irwin-1929
•Boycott of first Round Table Conference-1930, Gandhi Irwin Pact-1931 and
suspension of CDM-1931
17) Lord Willingdon (1931-36) :
•Second Round Table Conference 1931
•Resumption of CDM
•Announcement of Communal Award-1932
•Third round table conference-1932
•Launch of Individual Civil Disobedience-1933
•The Government of India act-1935
•Congress socialist party by Acharya Narendra Dev and Jayaprakash Narayan-1934
•Burma separated from India-1935
•All India Kisan Sabha-1936
18) Lord Linlithgow (1936-44) :
•First general election with congress majority-1936-37
•Second world war and congress ministry resignation
•Subash Chandra Bose elected as president of Congress -1938 and resignation of
Bose in 1939 and formation of Forward Bloc in 1939
•Lahore resolution by Muslim League demanding separate state for Muslims-1940
•August Offer-1940
•Escape of Subash Bose from India in 1941 and organisation of INA
•Cripps Mission-1942
•QuitIndia Resolution and outbreak of August Revolution-1942
•Divide and Quit slogan at Karachi of Muslim League
19) Lord Wavell (1944-47) :
•C.Rajagopalachari Formula -1944 and failure of Gandhi-Jinnah talks-1944
•Wavell Plan and Shimla Conference-1942
•End of Second World war-1945
•Cabinet Mission-1946
•Direct Action Day by the Muslim League -1948
•Announcement of British rule-1947
20) Lord Mountbatten (1947-48) :
•Announcement of June 3 Plan-1947
•Indian Independence Bill
•Appointment of two Boundary Commissions under Sir Cyril Radcliff for Bengal
and Punjab
Important Newspapers
Year Name Newspaper/ Journal Founder
1780 Bengal Gazette English newspaper J.K. Hikki

1819 Samvad Kaumudi Bengali weekly newspaper Ram Mohan Roy

1822 Mirat-ul-Akbar Persian language journal Raja Ram Mohan Roy

1854 Rast Goftar Gujarati Newspaper Dadabhai Naoroji
1858 Som Prakash Weekly newspaper I.C.Vidyasagar
1862 Indian Mirror Newspaper Debendranath Tagore
1868 Amrita Bazar Patrika Newspaper Sisir Kumar Ghosh
Motilal Ghosh
1871 Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq Journal Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
1878 Hindu Newspaper VirRaghavacharya
and G.S. Aiyar
1881 KesariMarathi Newspaper B.G. Tilak
1888 Sudharak Newspaper G.K. Gokhale
189 Hindoo Patriot English weekly Girish Chandra Ghosh
1896 Prabuddha Bharata English monthly Swami Vivekananda
1899 Udbodhana Magazine Swami Vivekananda
1903 Indian Opinion Newspaper M. K Gandhi
1905 Bande Mataram English newspaper Aurobindo Ghosh
1910 Bombay Chronicle English newspaper Firoze Shah Mehta
1911 Comrade English newspaper Maulana Mohammad Ali
1912 Al-BalaghUrdu weekly newspaper Abul Kalam Azad
1912 Al-HilalUrdu weekly newspaper Abul Kalam Azad
1913 PratapHindi newspaper Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi
1914 New India English daily newspaper Annie Besant
1919 Independent Newspaper Motilal Nehru
1919 Young India Weekly journal M. K Gandhi
1920 Mook NayakMarathi weekly B.R. Ambedkar
1924 Hindustan Times English daily Sunder Singh Lyallpuri
1929 Nav Jeevan Weekly newspaper M. K Gandhi
1932 Harijan Weekly journal M. K Gandhi
1936 Free Hindustan Journal TarakNath Das
 INC Sessions
Year Location Important facts
1885 Bombay 1st session of INC -President-W.C. Bonnerjee
Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy of British India
1886 Calcutta President-Dadabhai Naoroji
1887 Madras President-BadruddinTyabji
(1st Muslim president of INC)
1888 Allahabad President-George Yule
(1st English president of INC)
1889 Bombay President-Sir William Wedderburn
1890 Calcutta President-PherozeshahMehta
1891 Nagpur President-P. AnandaCharlu
1892 Allahabad President-WomeshChandra Bonnerjee
1893 Lahore President-Dadabhai Naoroji
1894 Madras President-Alfred Webb
1895 Poona President-Surendranath Banerjee
1896 Calcutta President-RahimtullahM. Sayani
1897 Amraoti President-C. SankaranNair
1898 Madras President-AnandaMohan Bose
1899 Lucknow President-RomeshChunderDutt
1900 Lahore President-N.G. Chandavarkar
1901 Calcutta President-DinshawEduljeeWacha
1902 Ahmedabad President-Surendranath Banerjee
1903 Madras President-Lal Mohan Ghosh
1904 Bombay President-Sir Henry Cotton
1905 Benares President-Gopal Krishna Gokhale
1906 Calcutta President-Dadabhai Naoroji
1907 Surat Congress splits into extremists and moderates
Rash BehariGhosh was the President
1908 Madras 23rd Session continued
Rash BehariGhosh was the President
1909 Lahore President-Madan Mohan Malaviya
1910 Allahabad President-Sir William Wedderburn
1911 Kolkata Jana Ganamanawas sung for the first time
BishanNarayan Dar was the President
1916 Lucknow Joint session with Muslim league-Lucknowpact
President-AmbicaCharanMazumdar
1917 Calcutta President-Annie Besant (1st women president)
1918 Bombay and Delhi Two sessions-1st President-Syed HasanImam
-2ndPresident-Madan Mohan Malaviya
1919 Amritsar President-Motilal Nehru
1920 Nagpur President-C. Vijayaraghavachariar
1921 Ahmedabad Hakim AjmalKhan (Acting President for C.R.)
1922 Gaya President-C.R. Das
1924 Belgaum Mahatma Gandhi was the president of INC
1925 Kanpur 1st Indian women president of INC-SarojiniNaidu.
1926 Gauhati President-S. SrinivasaIyengar
1927 Madras President-M.A. Ansari
1928 calcutta President-Motilal Nehru
1929 Lahore Resolution for PoornaSwarajpresident-Nehru
1931 Karachi President-VallabbhaiJ. Patel
1932 Delhi President-RanchodLal AmritLal
1933 Calcutta President-Nellie Sen Gupta
1934 Bombay President-Rajendra Prasad
1936 Lucknow President-Jawaharlal Nehru
1937 Faizpur President-Jawaharlal Nehru
1938 Haripura President-SubhashChandra Bose
1939 Tripuri President-SubhashChandra Bose
1940 Ramgarh President-Abul Kalam Azad
1946 Meerut Last session before the Independence of India
President-Acharya J B Kripalini
1948 Jaipur 1st session after the Independence of India
President was Dr. PattabhiSitaramayya